The Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Composter

Although celebrated author Kurt Vonnegut (Slaughterhouse Five, Cat’s Cradle) passed away in 2007, his memory lives on in the form of a compost bin in Brooklyn’s Columbia Waterfront District.

During a stroll with a friend yesterday I stumbled across said composter/art installation/Kurt Vonnegut shrine on part residential/part maritime industrial Columbia Street. I have no idea if Mr. Vonnegut was a booster of composting nor do I have any idea who is responsible for this odd fixture — it appears to be an old chest of drawers — chained to a fence. It’s one big WTF. Regardless, it’s pretty cool.

I checked out Brownstoner, a reliable source for all things whacky in Brooklyn, but found nothing. Do any Brooklyn readers know the story behind the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Composter? I’m not sure how long it’s been there, but from looking through one of the holes in the top, it appears folks have been contributing. The only rules appear to be “no meat” and “no poop.”

Urban composting has gotten quite a bit of press in NYC lately, so the sight of something like this isn’t entirely shocking. However, the Vonnegut connection escapes me. Should I be on the lookout for Ken Kesey Memorial Rain Barrels and Jerzy Kosinki Memorial Recycling Bins?

UPDATE, 2:00 pm: No word on the origins of the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Composter but Gothamist has the latest on the nearby Salt Pile Menace.

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